Public Speaking for Artists

by guest blogger James Thatcher

You’ve prepared a wonderful exhibit of your artwork. Now preparation is the key to making a wonderful presentation of yourself and your ideas on opening night!

Avoid “Artspeak” at all costs—people intellectualize as a defense mechanism! It’s natural, but don’t allow it—be listener friendly and break it down to laymen’s terms. Intellectualism makes for difficult speaking, awkward phrasing, and poor comprehension among your audience.

Do not ad lib. I discourage this because of the tendency to ramble, to over speak, and over intellectualize; while losing focus and track of time. It’s too easy to forget important aspects of your exhibition and process.

Write. Fear is often about the unknown, so planning is the key to a successful artist’s talk experience. Write your speech about what you know, and be bold. Make your artist’s talk worth listening to… stay focused on what is really important to this show, and this time in your career.

Read the Complete Article